21st Century Literacies in the Classroom
Presenter Kim McMonagle, Douglas County’s Director of Educational Technology
Twitter: kimmcmonagle
Ed Tech Academy Resources
Colorado TIE - Board of Directors, Leadership Academy Chairperson
ISTE Faculty - Collaboration with Singapore Ministry of Education, USVI Educators


Focus: What does writing look like in the 21st century world of work as seen through a disciplinary lens?

Learning Activity #1: Socratic Seminar with a Twist

Video: PBS Frontline "Teachers Experiencing Change in Teaching - Learning with Technology"
Inner Circle Participants
  • Parent Role
  • Teacher Role
  • Student
  • Community Member (Retired Police Officer or Stay at home parent)
  • Industry (Lockheed Martin, Denver Post, Douglas County Libraries
Outer Circle Participants
Learning Activity #2: Unit Deconstruct through 21st Century Literacies such as

Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity
Watch the video: Immigration Digital Stories
Explore a HS English Webquest for Of Mice & Men
Explore the plethora of HS English learning with technology.
Explore HS MATH Units - Where is the writing in these examples?
Explore Science Units - Where is the writing in these examples?

In teams of 3, reflect about the learning with the lens of:
  • What level(s) of thinking are the students doing?
  • What type(s) of instruction are the teachers providing? Didactic, Coaching, Constructivist
  • How is the learning authentic? Connected to real world?
  • How does the use of technology support the learning?
Team A
Team B
Team C
Team D
Team E
Team F
Team G



Learning Activity #3: Powerful Learning, Sustainable Learning... is learning that sticks.
Learning Activity:
Participants describe a powerful learning experienceFacilitator: Copy descriptionssubmitted and paste in Wordle.Whole Group: Discuss the elements of powerful learning that we identified.

According to the article,Sustainable Learningby Briana Krompier,“A simple question to ask is, ‘How has the world of a child changed in the last 150 years?’ And the answer is, ‘It’s hard to imagine any way in which it hasn’t changed!’ But if you look at school today versus 100 years ago, it is more similar than dissimilar.” --Author, //Peter Senge//, Senior Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

How do educators ensure that our students experience sustainable learning?
QuateReflection

HollyReflection
NatalieBreflection

AmberReflection

CrisReflection
Theresa Reflection


Learning Activity: Share your thinking Open this doc and make a copy! Rename it with your name, share it with Kim McMonagle.
Integrated Studies
  • Choice
  • Inquiry
  • Hands-on
  • Higher Order Thinking
  • OTHER...
Support resources for:Rigor & RelevanceHigher Order ThinkingArticle: A Year Without Worksheets (Use FREE Diigo for Educators to Annotate, Collaborate, Research Skills, Authenticity of Conversation)